Four Dead and 30 Injured in Apalachee High School Shooting in Winder, Georgia

A shooter opened fire at Apalachee High School about an hour outside of Atlanta, killing at least four students and injuring 30 others, the Barrow County Sheriff’s office in Georgia told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

CNN reported that a suspect, who is believed to be a 14-year-old male, is in custody but it’s unclear if the person actually attends the school. It is also unknown at this time if the dozens of people injured were the result of gunshot wounds.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that nine people had been hospitalized after the shooting.

All schools in the district were placed in lockdown with Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith saying authorities don’t yet know what the motive was for the shooting.

“We are asking for your patience… please let us get the facts that we need to make sure we get this right,” Smith said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “This is going to take multiple days for us to get answers as to what happened and why this happened.”

Katie Phenix shared on Facebook that her dad, David Phenix, a special education teacher and coach at Apalachee High School, was one of the shooting victims.

“We are so thankful for all the texts, calls, and messages about my dad. There was a shooting this morning at Apalachee High School and my dad was shot in the foot and in the hip, shattering his hip bone,” she wrote. “He arrived to the hospital alert and awake. He just got out of surgery and is stable. We will update as we hear new information. We are so, so lucky, but please keep our family as well as the AHS family in your prayers.”

President Joe Biden released a statement on behalf of himself and first lady Jill Biden, calling for more to be done to protect students from mass shootings.

“Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed. What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart,” he said. “Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.”

A spokesperson for Kamala Harris’ campaign told the Daily Beast that she is expected to comment on the shooting “at the top of her remarks at the brewery stop in New Hampshire” later today.

Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) has directed the Atlanta FBI to support local law enforcement.

“I have directed all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state,” Kemp added.

Christian Monterrosa/AFP via Getty Images

Attorney General Merrick Garland added that “FBI and ATF are on the scene working with state, local and federal partners,” at “the tragic shooting that occurred this morning.”

“I’m devastated for the families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy. The Justice Department stands ready to provide resources or support the Winder community needs in the days ahead,” he said.

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) wrote in a statement on X that his “heart breaks for the families of the victims at Apalachee High School & for every student. The entire Winder community is in my prayers, but we can’t pray only with our lips—we must pray by taking action.”